THERE’S an old weather saying: ring around the Moon means rain soon.
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We don’t want to get anyone excited, but if you have been looking skywards at any time over the last few days, a promise has been made.
Tuesday night’s Moon was in a ring of light, or a halo, and this dramatic photo of the setting sun was captured by Tamworth Regional Astronomy Club member Stuart Goff on his Nikon D800 on Saturday.
He told The Leader, that to get a ring or a halo around the sun or Moon, there has to be the right conditions in the atmosphere.
“Clouds contain millions of tiny ice crystals,” Mr Goff said.
“If oriented and positioned right, they cause refraction, or splitting of light.”
These conditions are caused by high cirrus clouds that often come before a storm.
The sky may appear clear but the thin layer of cirrus clouds are drifting around 20,000 feet or more above our heads.
“Last Saturday the conditions were right and a ring/halo has been around the Moon for the last couple of nights, with a lot of contrails from jets as well.”
He said jet contrails dissipated slower in a moist atmosphere.
“The atmosphere at the moment does have more moisture in it, so let’s hope some rain will come soon.”
The signs might be there, but the weather bureau is less optimistic, with its weekly forecast showing the best possibility of rain being a 40 per cent chance of less than 1mm fallingtomorrow.
If all else fails, we could start a community rain dance in the tradition of Native Americans who also say ring/halos are a sign of change.
